Downdraft furnace



Oct. '2, 1923. 1,469,600

G. A. M KENZlE DOWNDRAFT FURNACE Filed Dee.'9. 1922 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

[fe zZ/e.

-. la -11,111,111. V

ATTORNEY.

G. A. M KE NZIE v DOWNDRAFT FURNACE Fiiedpec. 9, 1922 s Sheets$heet 2 INVENTOR.

am dmm A TTORNEY.

America, and-a, resident of Bay City, in. the coimty of Ba and State'of 'Michigam Patented Oct. 12,

DOWNDBAF'If ifimnhoiij emsmime i. i e fqii-f i' iqeie N A pplicationffiled Deceinber'Q;1922.iSerial-Noijeqi792i f I I l i To all whomit'mag ooncemg j- M -Be 11; known that I, GEORGE .A. Mm

KENZI'E, e citizen of the United States of have invented certain neiv and useful Improvements in Downdraft Furnaces, of

which the following .is' aifspeoificatiom 7 This e on 'Iela'tes f dfiwndraft furi fesand the like: 1.

Oneiobhct off the invention is toconstri ct a furnace whichfivill biirn s1ack, min'e 171m, and other cheap fuels which cannot be sat s- :t'actorily" burned. in other furnaces; due

to th'es00t and dirt given off di ringtmnbus' tion. #My improved turnacef will readily :burn fuel of-thiskind, thereby effecting amaterial savinga'inoperatingcost. a

poorer grades of fuel.

Another object ofthe. invention is to designfi'adowndraft furnace so"'that1the air "admitted to the tiunace' will ,bel preheated and ass1st'1n consuming the. sootand contbust lole gases given. oil? by the cheaper V and p A; still furtherobpctofthe inventionlis to constriict'a fiir'liace having a maXiIIium drawn into the radiator rprior tov the area"of-iheatinglsurfaeeto the end that all of the heat may be utilized.

A further object; still is to design" a furnace which will be light in weight, 'eco-- nomical to manufacture', and simple'and easy to assemble and install. I .7 A still further object isto provide means whereby any smoke and gases which may beacciimulated n the'fuel magazine may be ing of the fuel magazine door.

' The ahoi e' and other objects will 7 appear; as the specification progresses, reference being ha d to the accompanyingi drawings,

i inwhich 'I have: shown the preferredyem- Fig. 1- is a ipa rt sectional -verticil VieW taken on-the line-1 1 of Fig. 3,

'bodirnent of i'ny'inveiition; a'ndin Which like reference numefals. indicate like parts throu h'out the several views thereof. plnvthedrawingszi :Ijig. 2 is a cross sectional vrwtakenjon theline-Q-E'Qof Fig; 1. taken on the line 3 3 Of* Fi'g. ;1-.' Fig.4 is a s'ide'viewof the'dampers c0n- Fig. 3*;is'aypartisectional topplan .view

trolling the1adm'ission'of the ashes to the ashpitfthe. dampers being shown in two :pbsitions','%v-iz, open and e1osedr Fig] 5! .is an qenlarged iraginentary View p flawseriesof da n'pei s' lZ .rota taloly mounted illlistratiiig openil l gsi her intogthe fire potu;

illustrating the air deflecting {lip-1 Fig. 7 is. an enlarged fragmentary iew of the doonloekingiii echanism.

V Fig. 6 is anq enlarged top .plan View the air chain Fig. 8. isa cross sectional iew thereof. v I

V In my preferred; construction,lgprovidej a base 5; Whichfcan be of any: desired shape, but whlchl" prefei to makecyhndi'ical as ShOW11'," thiS ishtermed the ash pit'iiito which hs" lr du pe nd; thi set v i s provideel with an opening gfi through which the ashes are adapted to be. i'remoyed, and i which is closediby the-door Thinged to base in the usual i'nanner. -r

A combustion chamber 8' moiinted; on

this base ,5, and this jchamb li is formed with hot'air out-let openingsjQ adaptedt0 eommunicate with suitable :pipes or" 'diictS 1 05 10 and 10" which 'eiiteiid to theradiator g;

a he p of th a r eesee flppbr are provided as shown and canwbei ciast -integral with this fchitmbel s- -OI. bQll3d thereto as desired, theseu sup'ports diverge inwardly to detechahlyisnpport; the grate .f.

. gn neeting they grate v iiith I the i shaker handle 'lZL QiOrshakingLthe gratefto remove :vs hi'chflcan he ofany approved type,

the ashes or elinkers therefrom, this handle .heing pivotally connected tothe filrnaee r %-1 .-;QP nin lei a s p vided" 1% thefi'nbx i ihiszg amb n nd a ClOQIilQiS providedas a closure therefor. Ellhe opening-hetween the combustion *chaI'n-J and the-base: 5 is'norinally closed by in suitable [boxes j i ithe ha'se;. an d which .7 a e pe l le d 1 O er lap i re ati n th ea -ch. .p ther to [prevent air rushingiintof the combustion chsmberfwhei fjthe ashdoo'r 'is P 3 1 1 ds -2 of the lfl i il i g' p ri talli wh hf' ifi mi i dto t e rresng and this handle lfi is adapted-{to he actuated lsucn of 1.

r-openedb ;,;One end of thetyflinks]if ai e eho e it' t e pee i e d p r rt :QPr

c'onnec ted in "spaced;relation-etc. a j .which {extends throughgtheficesin-g:and V 1. itally i n eete t 'e contfb'l. han l 11? ers tion chamber Sand-is formed with a p1urality of air receivingopenings 21 arranged in spaced relation in the wall thereof for preheating the air'drawn into theturnace .throughthe slide damper 22, an annular air belt 23 surrounding these air-"receiving openings, and having direct communication still retaining the natural radiating properties. oi the tire pot. This forming oi the fire pot for pre-heating the air caused by its flowing down'around the walls of the fire pot, isone ot the prime elements ofmy inventionfand furnishes oxygen, etc., for burning combustible gas, soot, etc. A. small door or poke hole cover 16 is hingedly connected to the door 16 and is, used when it is desired to poke the tire when it is "not necessary to open the lai'ge door which admits considerable air. Thetop of this'fire pot 20 is provided with a flange 20? in which the flat section 24 is mounted, an upstanding lip 24 being formed integral with this section as shown in Fig. 6 to break the currentoriginal position, closing the'opening in the door, and when the door is closed the endot,

of air entering through the hinged damper The lower section 26 of the fuel maga zine 27 is mounted on the member 24, the lower end or this section being formed with a lateral extension 28 having a downwardly projecting edge 28 which when in position, forms an air chamber between this section and the fiat member 24, air being admitted from the damper 25. T The inner lower edge oi this fuel magazine is formed with a plurality of spaced apart openings 27 as-clearly shown in Fig. 5 ot the drawings for distributing and admitting air 1 to. theinterior oi the tire" pot and consequently it will be clearly understood that these air belts or chambers do not communicate with each other, as the lower chamber and openings surrounding the fire potdraw the air down and through the wall of the fire pot, the upper chamber communicating with the inte- :rior thereof. The top section 27 ofthe tuel magazine 18 mounted on this lower section,

andis provided with a 'door 28in the front thereof for charging the magazine, 'a'n opening'29 beingformed in the top wall and communicating with a similar opening 30 formed in the radiator-31 which *is' positioned above it. This opening is'adapted to be closed'by means of the door or damper member 32 which is hinged to the radiator at thefpoint 32*, the lower end of the door being' connected to a rod member 33 which upstanding lug formed integral with the door. A handle 36 is pivotally mounted on the door and is formed similar to a bell crank, theupstanding leg 36 being adapted to engage the latch 37, which is resiliently mountedin the member 34.

The lower end of the latch 37 is'formed at an angle as. shown, the upper end having a shoulder formed thereon, the end of which projects through the top of the oft set portion of the member 34 which is re cessed'to receive it. it. coiled spring 38 surrounds this reduced shank portion and normally tends to force the latch downwardly, a pin 39 limiting the downward movement.

When desiring to charge the fuel magazine, the handle 36 is turned to position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7, which forces the member 34 to position as shown in dotted lines, the weight of the damper will force the rod 33 outwardly throughthe opening formed in the door,.thereby 0pening the damper 32 and allowing the smoke and gases in the "fuel magazine (should. there be any) to be drawn into the top radiator, thus smokeand gasdoes not escape from the furnace. After the door is opened the member 34 naturally. swings back to the rod 33 butts against the member 34 and. closes the damper 32, the end of the le 36" forces the latch upwardly and again returns to its original position, swing of the member 34 being limited bythe stop 40 which is cast integralwith the door. i i

The radiator proper is formed in-two sections,tl 1e lower section being mounted on the hot-air ducts 10, 10 and 10 and the front of the furnace, while the top half is bolted to the lower section in the usual manner. A door 41 is provided in the front of this radiator to facilitate the cleaning thereof, and a damper42 is hingedly mountel on the top of the rear hot air duct 10 and when in the positionshown in full lines in Fig. '2' closes communication with the radithe backward atoror chimney, but when in the position as shown in lotted lines in thesaine figure, conim'unication-is established between this duct and the-chimney, whilethe communication between the radiator and the chimney is closed. and an operating rod 44 is connected thereto and extendsto the front ofthe'turnace, the end of the rodbeing bent at right angles to form a handle so that it can beope ratcd when desired. The radiator is formed as clearly shownin Fig. 3 of the drawings, the two side ducts being inclined as shown and the radiator being formed with. the forked extensions into which thes'e ducts discharge, the rear duct is substantually vertical and a damperis provided as; before explained;

iners or sharpcurv esto contend; with f-ure then-when cleaning-the-rad'iator the] damper:

' 3 dotted lines-in 2, consequently closing the communication between-the radiator and;

4:2 is raised tofzthe. position asshowu in the chimneykflue the' draft will then be dpwn the side hot air ducts and out through the; -rear;duct-,thus the'fineqdust which may'acil;

}fed to the grate, atradiatori abovethe fuel" 7 j magazine andhot air ducts-j connecting; the

cLun-ulate ingtherad-iator "will be drawn, doW-n and will fall into the ash pit-of the furnace.

- In practice the @magazine is filled with V-fuel thro'ughithe dolor 28, air is admitted:

through the dampers 22 and.' 25*, the air circulatinginthe; chamber" surrounc'ling the fire pot andlthe lower end of 'the magazinefbev shown .by 'thejarrows, mingling with the {flames and assisting :in the burning-ofthe fcons'equently fall:- soot and f gases "must-, 1pass I through the ffianies, the hot air thence cir hey. i a hen: the fuel in ,the-rinagazine cokes; and hangs in) the- 1 magazine. or 5 Whenj the fuel culate's around the chamber-,8 and thence up the hot. air: ductsfior flues'; 1O and 110?; into the radiator? 31' flue.-

has a high peroentageiof ashieoi tenuand the rate isnot, manipulated to; remove ,the-

' ashes, the fire mayeat up andthroughathe body of thefuel in the "magazine," then smoke and gases may rise intojthe magazine and is 'draiwuofl :b'ythe passage 45 I which communicates directly ith the passage 10. Vhen the, damper 4:2 i's c'losed, this smoke I and gas is drawn downjand into the combustion chamber Where it is ignited, or when the 7 damper is open it is discharged directly to the chimneyfiue this howeveris provided." V-as a precaution measure and is veryseldom needed.

' obvious that I have perfected a simple andj The usual. casing 46surr0unds the furnace land air. ducts (not shown) leaditherefrom' toth'e registers in the difierent sectionsfiof, f the house. 1 5 scription it willbe From the foregoing de eificient downdraft furnace which is very economical to operateand'easy to install t and regulate.

" What Iiclaim is .i

g 1 A hot air "downdraft furnace co'm-jcommunicat'ion "between the" combustion. leliamber and .the}base,;-a*fire pot, i and a fuel imagaz'ine mounted' thereon; pre-heating I cha nb'er's v surrounding 'said "fire pot fa-nd' i -magazine, a radiator. above-the jfuel maga; zine', and air-passages connecting the colm'g passage between-the magaz ne and therad1- 5 prising a base,-a combustionlchamber mount to the combustion chainber; a radiator wthe fir fpot or pre -hea a-fire pot mounted onQthe' combustion cha zine, onthe. ;fir e1- ppt,; radiaor abfoyegth inagazine, ihot'air' passages' connecting the and thenceout of theFc him- V I r combustion"chamber 'with theiradiatoreamountdzahoyethe first a (If i l 'y l spe dta r a sageselea in 21A hot air downdraft i ib se; ro bust eu. V thereon, nieansi'norrnallym-held "(2105 661. for establishing communication between unease and thef ombus n j hambe ta r reman a; fuel magazine thereon,- mean surrounding ngth n mingair vfroinj the combi'is'tion chamber to the said combustion}chambermand the, radiator, fan i open ng c rnthe; magazine adapted to com? ing a: base, 'l a combustion chamber centrally A located; above and communicating therewithg f her, and -mean'sfsurroundiirg aid fire pot preheating the -l-nrushing a, fuel mag passage betweenthe magazine and? thef'radi a-tor'f; and im'eans' mounted Torr the fuel -maga1-I Zine, .dioorifor automatically establishing and s closing communication betWee'I i:the radiator 7 and the: saidafuelinagazrne when thed'ooris V openeclandolosbdyi;

4. 'rA "hot1 air* avowndraafurha'ee tempts air passage betyv een'flthe combustionYehamberandithe'sai d radiator, andmeans'mounfl M ed on thenagazine door forjautomatically establ shing orl-gclos ng 'commun1c'at10n be tween the fuelmagazine and the radiator wh njthedoor is opened and'c1osed.;.

. 5 A hot air downdraft furnace eon pris-f thereon; and coinmunieating therewith;v a

mg a base; a combustion. chamber mounted series of; overlapping "dainpers foreclosing f I bustionfehamber;with the radiator,- an air t1i0 I heating the'air'fed to the gr'ateand thefirefr .73. l 7 pot, a'radiatorabove fthe fuel magazine, an

ator, a damper mounted in and adapted to close said opening, and means mounted on themagazine door for automatically open ing said damper when the handle is opersaiddoor is closed, I

hot air downdraft furnace comprising a base, a combustion chamber mounted thereon, a grate mounted therein, a fire pot mounted on the said combustion chamber and a fuel magazine thereon, a chamber surated, and closing said damper when: the

rounding the fire pot for'pre-heating incoming air, and aplurality of openings communicating wlth'the said chamber for discharg mg the preheated air tot-he combusti on chamber, a second air chamber surroundingthe" lower end of the fuelmagazine and adapte to communicate with the interior of the fire pot, a radiator above the magazine, and passages between the 'combustion'chamber and the said radiator, and a passage between the radiator and the magazine adapted to be automatically opened and closed when the magazine door is operated" to communicate with the interior of the fire pot, means for breaking-the current of air entering the chamber, a radiatorabove the magazine, andvertical passages spaced from the magazine for connecting the combustion chamber therewith, passage between the magazine and theradiator, a damper there-i in, and means mounted on the magazine door for opening and closing said damper'when the magaz ne is operate.d.-

8. A hot 'air'downdraft furnace compfis inga base, a combustion chamber mounted thereon, a fire pot above the-said chamber,

and air chambers for pre-heating the air admitted to the interior'ot' the the potand the combustion chamber, a'fuel magazine on the v fire pot, and a radiator above thesaid magazine and adapted to communicate therewith,

means for automatically o'pening'and closing said means, vertical rearwardly inclined pas sages for connectingthe combustion cham ber to'the'radia'tonand a rear air passage having a damper thereinnormallyrlosed, and adapted when opened to have direct communication with thechimney fiue to repassages.

verse the direction of the airinthe other 9. A'hot air downdraft furnace compris ing" a" base, a combustion chamber mounted thereon and communicating therewith, a fire pot and a fuel magazine mounted thereon, airjchamber's surrounding said 'fire pot, and

fuel magazine for pre-heating the inru'shing air, a radiator above the magazine adapted to communicate therewith'when the magazine door is actuated, vertical air pas-sages for connecting the combustion chamber and the radiator, a rearaIr-pa'ssag'eihavmg a damper therein and adapted to'communicate directly with the chimney flue, and' a pas sage between the fuel magazine and the said rear air passage In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

GEORGE A. MACKENZIE. 

